The NEW release of Dracula – the fully restored version with scenes that didn’t appear in the original release, is now on doing the rounds at selected cinemas throughout the UK and overseas I should think.

I saw it again yesterday at the wonderful Kinema in the Woods in the beautiful tree line village of Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire.

The cinema was quite full and seeing it again on the big screen after all these years was a real treat. When I first saw it – probably in 1958 – it scared the life out of me – and seeing it again I could maybe understand why.

Christopher Lee was menacing and quite frightening as Count Dracula. Peter Cushing was equally good as Van Helsing. The final confrontation was very well staged with Peter Cushing energetic and athletic as he fought with the Count

Both of them played their parts as though they were living in the roles. When we first see Count Dracula after Jonathan Harker has arrived at the Castle, he walks up to the screen and is close-up delivers the lines – ‘ I am Dracula – Welcome to my home’ – we see his commanding prescence and sheer power that we later see, he has over his victims

Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing

ABOVE – Michael Gough – a renowned actor of many films who lived to be 94 and was a very busy man appearing in 205 films and TV shows from 1946. In this I didn’t think he was at his best

Dracula 1958

Melissa Stribling

Melissa Stribling Smith was born in Gourock on 7th November 1926. Little is known of her time in Gourock except that it was short: she moved with her family to England by the time she was in her teens. She worked as a cutting-room assistant at the famous Ealing Studios: here she met her future husband, director Basil Dearden. It wasn’t long before the photogenic Melissa made the jump from behind-the-scenes to on the screen: she trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and was soon starring in films, starting with 1948’s The First Gentlemen, and television, starting with 1952’s The Locked Room.

Melissa is probably most famous for her role as Mina Holmwood in 1958’s Dracula, the first of the legendary Hammer Horrors featuring Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. The film was notorious for its shockingly violent & provocative content, with Melissa’s performance as Mina a particular focus for moral indignation (and, in later years, praise for accomplished acting):

Melissa continued to work as a character actress over the course of 30 years: some of her notable roles in film & television in addition to Mina Holmwood include Lady Conyngham (The First Gentleman, 1948, film debut); Amanda North (Murder Reported, 1953); Joanna Brent (Crucible of Terror, 1971); Mrs Langley (Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson, 1979); & Lady Boeing (Paris by Night, 1988, final film role).

The 2008 Royal Mail Stamp which featured Melissa Stribling & Christopher Lee

Melissa died on 22nd March 1992. 16 years later, Melissa was the first Scottish woman to be depicted on a Royal Mail stamp when the Royal Mail commemorated the 50th anniversary of Dracula in 2008, and only the fourth Scot after Robert the Bruce, Robert Burns, and David Livingstone.

Melissa Stribling was married to Film Director Basil Dearden. His last film was ‘The Man who Haunted Himself’ with Roger Moore. Roger Moore tells the story that in the film he played Mr Pelham who eventually dies in a car crash filmed closed to Pinewood Studios when his car hit a bridge in the film. Soon after the film was completed Basil Dearden also was killed in a crash very similar to the one he had only recently filmed at or near the same bridge

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Also In the film ‘Dracula’ was Carol Marsh – I really liked Carol Marsh – her lovely face and looks really appeal to me and I find her so magnetic – every scene she is in, her looks just draws you to her and ‘Dracula’ was no exception

She had a meteoric start to he film career when she had the female lead in ‘Brighton Rock’ opposite Richard Attenborough and then went on to play Alice in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and then after ‘A Christmas Carol’ things seemed to stall. ‘Salute the Toff was made in 1951.

She was busy though in this period – she appeared in a BBC Drama adaptation of ‘Time and the Conways’ in 1950 – that would have gone out ‘live’ in those days and she also played Alice – this time on stage – in ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ at the Princes Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue and that was in 1954. I have seen a picture of her in this production with Margaret Rutherford and that was from the Wimbledon Theatre – so maybe it was transferred there

Much later she played again in the West End in the very famous Agatha Christie play – ‘The Mousetrap’

I went the see ‘Dracula’ at the famous ‘kInema in the Woods’ at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire

The Kinema in the Woods is one of the most appealing and unusual Cinemas in the country if not in the world. It is situated in the beautiful town of Woodhall Spa in mid Lincolnshire.

In it’s 100 years life the Kinema in the Woods has had just three owners/managers; Major Carleton Cole Allport, James Green and now Philip Jones.

In an age of multiplexes, the Kinema is a mere minnow among the big chain ranks, but with four screens and the latest laser projection plus Dolby 7.1 sound in its most recently added screen, it’s technologically right up-to-date. Despite this the cinema retains its charm

This series really broke ingto the American market – and gave British produced shows a lift. The series was very popular in the USA with the first episode transmitted on CBS on 26 September 1955

I must admit that Richard Greene was a very good choice to play Robin Hood – he just looked the part

The first 39 episodes were followed quickly by another 39 and had been sold to American and Canadian TV networks for a handsome profit – there were also plans to sell to Australia or so it was reported at the time. I wonder a bit on this because Australian Television had only just started at that time beginning on 16 September 1956

Each half hour episode was completed in 4 and half days – which seems incredible to me. The person in charge of production was Peter Proud who was a well know Art Director on British Films. He had devised a unique and speedy way to erect the large sets needed.

He had used a real hollow tree trunk about 20 ft high planted on a fake grassy bank and mounted on wheels and each time it was moved – and used – it was made to look different. Then another wood and plaster tree was made with an overhanging branch to match the other one – both trees then wheeled into place to provide a most realistic forest glade

Richard Greene in action ABOVE

Alexander Gauge who plays Friar Tuck is a well known English character actor who first appeared on the New York stage in 1945. He was born in a Methodist Mission school in China and went to school in California before coming to England. He has don much Shakespearean acting and in British films has often played sinister parts. Many consider he is best in comedy – he did very well in the London stage production of ‘The Seven Year Itch’

Rufus Cruikshank, a Scottish actor plays Little John. At 6’5” he is well suited to this role. He has been in films, repertory theatre productions and on BBC Television

Bernadette O Farrell who plays Maid Marian is a 30 year old Irish actress who originally worked in a solicitor’s office – but she was spotted by Carol Reed when he was making a film in Ireland and he offered her a small part – after which the Rank Organisation offered her a contract. She turned it down in order to gain more experience and then join. What an intersting charactered the Liverpool Repertory Company. Later on she made a number of films

PETER PROUD – Art Director

I did not know and had never heard of Peter Proud but in fact he was a very crucial to the production of ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ with his instinctive ability to shape impressive sets for this successful series. I came across him after researching this TV series – researching not from the internet but from old film books and annuals of the fifties. What an interesting character !!

Born Ralph Priestman Proud in Glasgow in 1913, Peter Proud was educated at Hillhead High School, as, coincidentally, was Alexander Mackendrick at the same time. On leaving school at 15, he applied for a job as a sound recordist at the BIP studios at Elstree, inspired by a schoolboy interest in scientific equipment. However, sound was not his strong point and he soon moved to the art department where he assisted numerous art directors and set dressers. Within a couple of years he found himself working as assistant art director under Alfred Hitchcock on films such as Murder! (1930) and Rich and Strange (1932).

In 1932 Proud joined Alfred Junge’s art department at Gaumont-British Picture Corporation in Islington, where he co-art directed The Man Who Knew Too Much (d. Hitchcock, 1934) and assisted on several others. After two years at Gaumont he joined Warner Brothers First International as a fully-fledged art director, working on films like Something Always Happens (d. Michael Powell, 1934), Educated Evans (d. William Beaudine, 1936), Perfect Crime (d. Ralph Ince, 1937) and They Drive By Night (d. Arthur Woods 1939). By now he was head of the art department and when he left to go to a new facility at Teddington Studios, he took his whole team from Gaumont with him.

At Teddington, Proud worked on a series of ‘quota quickies’ and became renowned for his ability to make the sets look like they were designed on lavish production budgets.

During the Second World War he joined the army and became second-in command of camouflage in the Middle East. He is credited with the invention of battle camouflage, a new system of concealed entrenchment. His proudest and most ingenious achievement was to ‘hide’ a number of ships in harbour at the siege of Tobruk in North Africa.

After the war, Proud joined Independent Producers as production designer on Green For Danger (d. Sidney Gilliat, 1946). He produced and co-directed Esther Waters (co-d. Ian Dalrymple, 1948) and co-wrote the script for The Planter’s Wife (d. Ken Annakin, 1952).

However, in the 1950s he was lured to independent television production, where he used a new system for set design based on interchangeable modules.

He designed the sets for The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1957), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956) and The Buccaneers (1956 – 1958).

In the 1960s, Proud continued to freelance as a film industry art director, working with directors such as Basil Dearden (The League of Gentlemen, 1960), Silvio Narizzano (Fanatic, 1965) and Sidney J. Furie (The Naked Runner, 1967).

Thi is Stewart Granger’s childhood home in Bournemouth on the south coast.

For about twenty years Stewart Granger played heroic and romantic leading roles. With a theatrical voice, commanding presence (he was 6′ 2″) and dignified profile he was made for films. He made the big time, moved to Santa Monica in California

 He lived in his hotel for a while though. His mum owned it (it’s called “East Cliff Cottage Hotel”) until her death in 1979. Stewart left here in his late teens when he went to work at the Birmingham Repertory Company.

East Cliff Cottage was built in 1895 and became the home of British actor Stewart Granger (6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) with his  mother, Mrs. Lablanche Stewart, owning this property until 1979.

Stewart Granger was born James Lablanche Stewart but changed his name to avoid confusion with established American actor James Stewart when he entered the film industry. Stewart Granger is a mix of his surname and his Grandmother’s surname.

Stewart Granger is a mix of his surname and his Grandmother’s surname. While living in the hotel he aimed to become a doctor but a friend proposed the idea of earning some extra money by getting some stylish clothes and becoming a film extra. He surpassed that stage and became an in-demand star.

Retiring from acting he moved to Spain and went into property development. He’d smoked 60 cigarettes a day for forty years so it was no surprise that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and would die within weeks. An operation astounded doctors – he had tuberculosis, not cancer. He returned to acting and the west coast of America. Cancer took hold ultimately he died from prostrate and bone cancer aged 80.

Again not really a film I am familiar with – but it has an interesting title so that is what drew me

Directed by Fred F. Sears

Cast: Charles Starrett (Steve Martin/The Durango Kid), Smiley Burnette (Smiley), Jack Mahoney (Jack Mahoney), Clayton Moore (The Hawk),

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The Hawk Of Wild River (1952) has a terrific cast,. With Jock Mahoney billed here as Jack Mahoney as we in the UK knew him from the Range Rider series, and Clayton Moore – The Lone Ranger which he went back playing to shortly after this film

After being replaced by John Hart for the third season of The Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore went back to work as one of the best, and busiest, bad guys in Hollywood. First up was the Republic serial Radar Men From The Moon (1952). In The Hawk Of Wild River, he’s The Hawk, a half-breed bandit who’s as proficient with a bow and arrow as he is with a six-gun.

Running just 53 minutes, The Hawk Of Wild River is a pretty typical Durango Kid Film,

Director Fred F. Sears keeps it moving at a quick pace, with plenty of action

The Iverson Ranch is really used well in this one.

The Hawk Of Wild River is on The Durango Kid Collection DVD along with nine others

This Western from later in the fifties.

This is not a film that I know well – and I don’t recall it on it’s release

Directed by Delmer Daves
Song: “The Hanging Tree”
Vocal by Marty Robbins
CAST: Gary Cooper (Dr. Joseph Frail), Maria Schell (Elizabeth Mahler), Karl Malden (Frenchy), Ben Piazza (Rune), George C. Scott (Grubb),

Cooper’s character, Doc Frail, lives in a cabin on a ridge about the mining town of Skull Creek. Throughout the picture, we’re look down on the village from Frail’s perspective. These shots now have a stunning amount of detail, giving you an opportunity to really study what Director Delmer Daves had his cast of extras doing in the recesses of those long shots.

THE HANGING TREE

THE HANGING TREE was out of distribution for over twenty years

The old Eastman Colour film stock had not aged well – however In 2012 a colour inter-negative was found that had been made in the 1970s and this was used.

It strikes me that Gary Cooper at the age of 53 when this was released was often cast with such young women – I think of Grace Kelly in High Noon – and then this one with Maria Schell.

Maria Schell always looked good – I remember her opposite Marius Goring in ‘So Little Time’ – a really good film.

Then a favourite of mine ‘Distant Drums’ set in the Florida Everglades – with Marie Aldon another very pretty – and young – girl cast opposite Gary Cooper

Above Maria Schell

The Hanging Tree was Delmer Daves’ last Western as director. In fact he only directed it between June 17 and July 28, 1958, falling ill while on the set, and star Gary Cooper, whose new company Baroda Productions this project led, asked one of the actors, Karl Malden, to finish the direction, which he seems to have done competently. But it was certainly a ‘Daves’ Western, featuring many of the themes that distinguished his pictures.

I also think of ‘The Last Wagon’ with Richard Widmark – another great Western which he directed – also ‘3-10 to Yuma’ with Glenn Ford – and surprisingly to me he directed ‘Demetrius and the Gladiators’ with Victor Mature – a monster Box Office hit

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I watched this on TV a few days ago, and enjoyed the film even though I am not at all a fan of David Niven. To me, he was never in the top star bracket even though he mingled with those icons of Hollywood and he was very much around in the golden days

David Niven, this time, stars as Carrington, VC a career army officer who does something reckless and a little stupid. He borrows money from the Officer’s Fund of his unit to pay some household bills. He’s owed a lot of back pay allowances that the British army hasn’t paid him. However he is a winner of the Victoria Cross, the VC of the title and the commander of the regiment.

Allan Cuthbertson plays Colonel Henniker who is a jealous of Carrington’s status and popularity with his regiment.

In any event Niven is being court martialled for the offence, charges brought by Cuthbertson.

Carrington, VC, is a fine military courtroom drama that stands on its own merits. David Niven does well in the lead ably supported by Margaret Leighton, Allan Cuthbertson and a host of top British actors

Allan Cuthbertson is one of those actors who just does well in everything he’s cast in. He’s quite the martinet and jealous of Niven’s war service and decoration. He spent the war directing a shore battery that was called upon to shoot down Mr. Hitler’s Luftwaffe planes, no chance for medals or glory there.

ABOVE – Victor Madden a great supporter of Carrington VC performs well in court in support of him

The second member of the supporting cast who is outstanding is Victor Madden playing Niven’s sergeant and biggest fan.

Carrington, VC has a bit of The Caine Mutiny and some of The Winslow Boy in its plot and presentation. But it’s a good courtroom drama and all actors love doing them.

ABOVE David Niven with Noelle Middleton

Carr

ABOVE – Noelle Middleton talks with Margaret Leighton who plays David Niven’s wife

Carr

Carr

This last weekend I have visited London with my family and re-visited an old haunt of mine – an office I worked at for a couple of years way back – an office in Grosvenor Street London W.1

My daughter quickly pointed out that directly opposite was this plaque – Alexander Korda had used this address as his office around the time he was acquiring Denham Film Studios

Korda

ABOVE – Grosvenor Street, London W1 –

Sir Alexander Korda ‘dreamed a dream’ of building here a Film Studio that would rival – and possibly eclipse – it’s Hollywood counterparts.

He succeeded even though it was relatively short-lived.

Building the massive Denham Studios started in late summer 1935 on a 165-acre site near Denham village in Buckinghamshire.

It was by far the largest production facility in the country, it opened in May 1936, boasting seven sound stages, workshops for every craft, restaurants and dressing-rooms fit for Hollywood stars and a new Technicolor laboratory.

This was to be a dream factory whose films would have “prestige, pomp, magic and madness”, according to Korda

All the planning, negotiating and financing was all arranged through this Office in Grosvenor Street W.1

In fact this central London headquarters served as the command centre from where Korda produced breakthrough cinematic classics like The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and Things to Come (1936).

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This is one of the most charming, magical films – an adaptation of James Barrie’s Peter Pan, the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up.

This Disney cartoon classic offers flights of fancy that appeal to children’s fertile imaginations.

The ability to fly and be a youngster and never grow up, exploring a fantasy island of Indians, pirates, mermaids and mysterious caves is a powerful pull for young dreamers.

This is a wonderful film that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike!

Soon after Treasure Island when they were back in Hollywood and maybe two to three years later

Walt Disney and Bobby Driscoll

Walt Disney and Bobby Driscoll

One of Bobby’s notable roles was as Peter Pan in 1953. Although he was approaching his teen years, he was perfect as Peter Pan in Walt Disney’s eyes, as Peter Pan would have been the same age.

The film starts in London, where a very proper Wendy has one night left in the nursery before she must grow up. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Darling are out for an office party, and the nursemaid, a dog named Nana is tied up outside for the night. Peter Pan comes and takes Wendy and her brothers John and Micheal away to Neverland, “the second star to the right and staight on til morning”, with the help of the pixie dust from the jealous little pixie Tinkerbell. A sprinkling of the dust makes them fly, just like Peter does. Once in Neverland they encounter mermaids, Indians, but evil Captain Hook. This beloved story will bring you back to your childhood and this delightful score will be hard to forget! It is sure to have you singing along!

The production’s artwork is beautiful, and the characters and tunes add to the pleasure of watching this film. Peter Pan is nearly upstaged by his companion Tinker Bell, a temperamental pixie who is jealous and possessive of Peter’s friendship with Wendy. Captain Hook and his shadow, the crocodile, the beautiful mermaids, and Tiger Lily are all memorable characters. The tunes also make this adventure one of Disney’s best.

The film comes so soon after Walt Disney had returned from England, having made his first three Live Action films – although thinking about it, maybe it was being made shortly after Bobby Driscoll returned to Hollywood having starred in ‘Treasure Island’ here.

After searching further though he seems to have been in SIX films between Treasure Island and this one – so my conclusions are wrong

Here is Errol Flynn in a scene from the film. He was a really huge star. He made a few Westerns but we usually associate him the those swashbuckling roles that he fitted perfectly.

Only last week I was on holiday with my family in the Scottish Highlands – we didn’t pass by it but was quite near to the Eilen Donan Castle featured in ‘The Master of Ballantae’

I can see Errol Flynn there – he just belongs there somehow !!

Anyway, back to ‘San Antonio’

Directed by David Butler (with Robert Florey & Raoul Walsh, uncredited)
Written by Alan Le May & W. R. Burnett
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Cast: Errol Flynn (Clay Hardin), Alexis Smith (Jeanne Starr), S.Z. Sakall (Sacha Bozic), Paul Kelly (Roy Stuart), Victor Francen (Legare), Florence Bates (Henrietta), John Litel (Charlie Bell), Paul Kelly (Roy Stuart), Robert Shayne (Captain Morgan), John Alvin (Pony Smith), Monte Blue (Cleve Andrews), Robert Barrat (Colonel Johnson), Pedro de Cordoba (Ricardo Torreon), Tom Tyler (Lafe McWilliams)

Somebody at Warner Bros. had the brilliant idea to bring in the great Western writer Max Brand (real name: Frederick Schiller Faust), pay him a lot of money, and have him write pictures for them.

While at WB, he decided he wanted to be a war correspondent. Faust was sent to Italy to cover the war for Harper’s. He was hit by shrapnel and killed in May of 1944.

Brand’s work on a Western was handed over to W. R. Burnett and Alan Le May, and it became San Antonio (1945) starring Errol Flynn. Brand is not credited in the titles.

Errol Flynn plays Clay Hardin, a Texas cattleman in San Antonio looking for the rustlers who’ve been stealing herds, including his, along the Rio Grande. He ends up locking horns with Paul Kelly and Victor Francen, the crooks behind all the rustling — and who roughed up Flynn in a previous encounter. They’re not very good crooks, either — they have a notebook detailing what they stole and when. Flynn has it and they really want it back.

Along with Errol Flynn himself and Bert Glennon’s incredible Technicolor photography, what makes San Antonio is its cast.

Paul Kelly and Victor Francen are terrific as the villains.

Alexis Smith has real chemistry with Errol Flynn in their third picture together, as the performer he meets on the stagecoach to San Antonio. S.Z. Sakall is a wonderful as ever. John Litel is Flynn’s friend, and he suffers for it. And Tom Tyler is awesome as a gunslinger Flynn encounters near the beginning of the picture. Monte Blue’s in there, too.

Warner Brothers wasted no time in putting Errol Flynn through the paces of several westerns, the best of which was DODGE CITY (’39).

SAN ANTONIO gives Errol Flynn a chance to play another one of his suave western heroes who romances the local dance hall girl (ALEXIS SMITH) so we get a chance to hear a couple of pretty tunes along the way.

It’s a shame that Warners had so little faith in Alexis’ singing prowess that they dubbed her voice for the musical interludes. She went on to become an accomplished dancer/singer on Broadway in the years ahead. Nicest number is “Some Sunday Morning” which actually got an Oscar nomination as Best Song.

It was a case of ’round up the usual suspects’ when Warner Brothers looked to their Contract Players with John Litel, S.Z. Sakall, Paul Kelly, Tom Tyler (wasted in a small role), Florence Bates and Victor Francen.

With a jaunty score by Max Steiner, this is the kind of western you’ve seen many times before, but enhanced by some of the finest Technicolor and set decorations to be seen in any Warner film of this period.

Errol Flynn fans will enjoy it as one of his lesser excursions into the western genre. Fast moving and breezy entertainment.